Welcome to BookBuzz! Reading is both a rewarding individual activity and an exciting shared experience. I hope this blog will help to connect the community of readers at Ecole Heritage Park Middle School by introducing new books in the library, publishing student reviews, advertising events and contests, and discussing the latest trends in reading. If you wish to publish a book review, please email it to Christine.Schmor@mpsd.ca.
There were 10 of us in the library yesterday afternoon, munching on pizza while we dissected Life ofPi by Yann Martel. This tale of intelligence, determination and faith winds up with an ending that poses startling questions about Pi's story and about our own stories. As usual, our discussion was lively, intense, insightful and funny.
If any of you in grade 11 and 12 would like to join the Senior Book Club, see Ms. Schmor in the library to pick up the next book. For January, we'll be reading The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. Our first meeting, to discuss the first half, will take place on Friday, January 18th.
In a few days, we'll all be off to enjoy two weeks of holidays. Be sure to come and select a couple of books to read - I've got some suggestions in the new book box at the top of this page.
Wishing you a joyous holiday filled with family, friends and great times!
Last Friday afternoon, the Senior Book Club met to discuss Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. The discussion was, as usual, intense and energizing. Meeting after school was great as we were not rushed at all; in fact, the meeting went until close to 5:00 pm. Unfortunately, other commitments meant that some students were unable to participate. If this problem continues, we'll need to come up with a solution.
For November, the Senior Book Club students will be reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel (another Canadian author - yay!) We'll meet Friday, November 16th to discuss the first half of the novel and then meet again on Friday, November 30th for discussion of the whole book. I know that there are many students interested in this novel as the movie is coming out in November. Drop by the library on Thursday or Friday to pick up your copy of the book.
Book Club for grade 7 and 8 students is happening in November! The book is The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, a wonderful, action-packed dystopian story (see Genres page for dystopian explanation). This group will meet twice at lunch time. The first meeting is Thursday, November 15th when we'll talk about the first half of the book. The second meeting will be on Thursday, November 29th and we'll explore the entire novel.Remember, we celebrate with pizza during the last meeting! Come down to the library for your copy of the novel.
I just created a new page called "If you like..., you should try...." It's designed for students who have a favorite book or series and are craving a similar read. Readalikes have been suggested for "Perfect Chemistry," White Oleander" and the "Skulduggery Pleasant" series, along with "Eragon" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events." If you have any books to add to these lists, please make a comment. You can also suggest other titles that need the readalike treatment.
I know I've been sloooooow to post to this blog this fall, but I've been really busy processing great new books into the library and it's just this moment that I have been able to sit back and take stock of everything that occurred in September.
Every English/Humanities class came in for a visit. I talked about many of the books purchased over the summer and they went - woosh- out the door! Over 1100 books were borrowed in September! To all of you who are now waiting for books to return, I've got many more books that have arrived since and more that should appear this coming week. Drop in frequently to check out the new books display.
Here's a shout-out to the dedicated Library Club students who are back to help out again this year. Some of these students have already created two new and outstanding displays - tributes to fairy tales and Sherlock Holmes. They are also responsible for the new books display and the all-important, ongoing shelving, which we have a lot of due to the impressive volume of books being borrowed . They, along with our fabulous custodians, keep the library neat and organized and a pleasant place to be. Thank you!
We've also got one book club going for October. Several senior students are reading The Handmaid'sTale by Margaret Atwood. We'll have our first meeting this coming Friday after school to talk about the first half of the book. Once again, Laurel Bieber from the Mission Public Library is cohosting all of our book clubs. Grade 7/8 students will be invited to join a noon break book club in November.
Now, let's talk NEW BOOKS. Since school started, students have been asking for creepy, eerie, scary books. Here's a few titles that may keep you up at night.
Beyond: A Ghost Story by Graham McNamee
Jane is not your typical teen. She and her best friend Lexi call themselves the Creep Sisters. Only Lexi knows why Jane is different from anyone else: Her own shadow seems to pull her into near-fatal accidents. Jane is determined to find out why these terrifying things happen, and to overcome her shadow enemy. Her sleuthing with Lexi connects her own horrors to the secret history of a serial killer.
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.
(We've got the sequel coming in!)
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.
(We will have the entire series.)
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.
In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.
Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.
Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa's talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation called AMRF threatens his life in no uncertain terms.
But what Noa and Peter don't realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who'd stop at nothing to silence her for good.
Fans of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will devour the story of Noa, a teen soul mate to Lisbeth Salander.
Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones
Two street kids get tangled in a plot over their heads—and risk an unexpected connection—in this heart-pounding thriller by Tim Wynne-Jones.
Boy, did Blink get off on the wrong floor. All he wanted was to steal some breakfast for his empty belly, but instead he stumbled upon a fake kidnapping and a cell phone dropped by an "abducted" CEO, giving Blink a link to his perfect blonde daughter. Now Blink is on the run, but it’s OK as long as he’s smart enough to stay in the game and keep Captain Panic locked in his hold. Enter a girl named Caution. As in "Caution: Toxic." As in "Caution: Watch Your Step." She’s also on the run, from a skeezy drug-dealer boyfriend and from a nightmare in her past that won’t let her go. When she spies Blink at the train station, Caution can see he’s an easy mark. But there’s something about this naïve, skinny street punk, whom she only wanted to rob, that tugs at her heart, a heart she thought deserved not to feel. Charged with suspense and intrigue, this taut novel trails two deeply compelling characters as they forge a blackmail scheme that is foolhardy at best, disastrous at worst—along with a fated, tender partnership that will offer them each a rare chance for redemption.
Next week, we'll be setting up a Halloween display, a tribute to the master of horror, Stephen King. In his honour, I've purchased some of his books that we don't have in the library, such as Misery, Pet Sematary, and Cycle of the Werewolf.
I've just reviewed the novel Blood Red Road by Moira Young. You'll find the review on the Book Reviews page. If you scroll down that page, you will also find instructions on how to write an informative review. You can also comment on the books reviewed or post your own recommendations. I'd love to hear from you!
After a lovely, lazy July, the month of August begins my transition back to the real world of students
and teachers, bells and books. I hope you have all been enjoying your break from school: spending time with friends, soaking up the sun, reading great books. I've read several novels that I plan to review in the next couple of weeks. I'm also starting to compile lists of new books to order for the opening of the library in September. If you would like some input, now is the time to make some suggestions by commenting on this post. What have you read that you know that other students at HPSS will like?
The library needs bookmarks - not any old bookmarks - bookmarks that are unique to HPSS, bookmarks that tell a story, bookmarks that feature the artistic skills of students. So try your hand at creating a tiny masterpiece.
You can enter as often as you like until the close of the contest on Friday, June 8th. First prize is a $20.00 gift certificate to Black Bond Books, where you can start your summer reading collection. The top 5 most original, interesting bookmarks will be copied and printed and given out to library patrons next year.
Just come into the library and pick up the information sheet which includes a template of the exact shape and size of the bookmark. Here's a chance to create something beautiful and useful that will be seen and enjoyed by dozens, likely even hundreds, of people.
A small, but deeply insightful, group of grade 7 and 8 students met with Laurel and Ms. Schmor to discuss the first half of When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. It was a lively, far-reaching discussion with no spoilers for the second half of the book. We'll meet to conclude our analysis on Thursday, May 31st and celebrate this amazing book with a pizza lunch! If you'd still like to join this group, there's time to get the book read. Just hurry down to the library this week to pick up your copy.
Laurel and I would like to continue the lunch-time book clubs next year. We'll likely begin with grade 7 and 8 students in September, move to grade 9 and 10 students for October, and then invite grade 11 and 12 students in November. Let me know if you're interested in participating and feel free to suggest book titles.
There has been some discussion around starting a book club for grade 10 to 12 students. The same group of students would meet monthly after school, discussing one book a month. Laurel would host the meetings. Let me know if there is enough interest and we'll finalize the details.
The last two weeks has been fun as some much anticipated novels arrived in the library. Rick Riordan's The Serpent's Shadow, the third book of the Kane Chronicles, has been in and out and in already. The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare is, as usual for her books, getting rave reviews. For those who read Divergent by Veronica Roth and were desperate to find out what happens next, we have two copies of the sequel, Insurgent. Although the library has to start shutting down in the next three weeks, there's still time to read a book or three. Don't delay!
The last day to check out books will be Monday, June 4th. The day to bring books back to the library is Friday, June 8th. I know this is not happy news, but I need to get the inventory finished and the library ready for another busy year starting in September. Remember that the warm, freedom-filled days of summer are just within reach. You can spend some of that wonderful time browsing the shelves of the public library!
During the month of May I'd like to invite grade 7 and 8 students to participate in a book club. We'll be reading a surprising and terrific novel called When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. If you want to know more about the book, just go to the FEATURED BOOKS PAGE.
We'll meet twice. The first meeting will be at lunch on Thursday, May 10th and we'll talk about the first half of the story. Then we'll meet again on the last Thursday of May to share our impressions of the whole novel. A pizza lunch will be provided on the last day.
The last two book clubs were a lot of fun. There is room for about 12 students, so hurry to the library to pick up your copy of When You Reach Me.
Spring is my favorite season. I love the clarity of the light and the freshness in the air. I love the infinite shades of green; the rich, earthy scent of growing things; the medley of bird calls at the break of day.
And, this spring, in the library, I love the arrival of the sequels. Any of you who have enjoyed a series, know the thrill of spotting the latest installment on the library shelf. Well, the wait is over and you can finally find out what new complications your favorite characters will experience.
The following sequels are ready to be borrowed.
The Calling: This is the second book in Kelley Armstrong's Darkness Rising series, which began with The Gathering.
Out of Sight, Out of Time is the fifth book in Ali Carter's funny, fast-paced Gallagher Girls series.
The Last Hope is yet another installment of the famous Warriors series by Erin Hunter.
The Last Echo is the third volume in Kimberley Derting's Body Finder series.
Lauren Conrad, writer of the L. A. Candy trilogy, has just published a new, but related book, The Fame Game.
A wonderful dystopian novel, Delirium, is now followed by Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.
Those of you who loved Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Fire will likely be surprised that there is a third book now out, Bitterblue. It's due to arrive in your library any day.
Recently arrived is the ninth volume in the immensely popular manga series, Black Butler.
I just got word this morning that the publisher has released The Serpent's Shadow, the third Kane Chronicles book by Rick Riordan. A lot of readers at HPSS are hooked on this series. I expect the book in by the end of next week.
There are many more sequels being released in early May, so keep an eye on this blog in order to be the first to pick up the latest volume in your favorite series.
There are some amazing book covers! Take a look at the alluring cover for the new paranormal romance, When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen.
After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.
Since spring break, a number of shiny new books have arrived. Let me introduce you to a few of them.
If you are craving new dystopian fiction to feed your need for more Hunger Games action, then you should try
LEGEND by Marie Lu
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?
UNISON SPARK by Andy Marino
Everyone is obsessed with Unison, the social network that knows you better than you know yourself. Everyone who can afford it, that is. Living beneath the vast ceiling that separates Eastern Seaboard City into rich topside and poor sub-canopy zones, fifteen-year-old Mistletoe can only dream of logging in and has to make do with technological hand-me-downs. Worlds collide when Ambrose Truax, the privileged heir to the Unison empire, wanders into the dangerous sub-canopy streets and Mistletoe saves him from suspicious, uniformed men. They soon discover that they share eerily similar dreams, hinting at a significant past. Together, Ambrose and Mistletoe begin to unravel the mystery of their identities and learn that they’re pawns in a bigger game: the Unison 3.0 upgrade, a whole new kind of Friendship.
If romance and relationships draw you into a story, these reads should please.
GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley
"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."
It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.
His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.
Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.
But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.
YOU AGAINST ME by Jenny Downham
If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for one's family and for another.
ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE by Gabrielle Zevin
In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.
Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.
THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.
If you're looking for fantasy adventure stories that will make silent reading time fly by, you should take a look at the following titles.
RAVENWOOD by Andrew Fusek Peters
Who holds the seeds to save a sky-high world?
Arborium is at risk, the sharpened blades of rival Maw poised to saw off its bark and branches. What can a poor plumber's apprentice armed with little more than a monkey wrench do to stop the chopping?
Carved into a massive, mile-high canopy, the forest kingdom of Arborium stands upon the tallest of trees. Within them, 14-year-old Ark holds the lowest of jobs: unclogging toilets. He's already up to his elbows in gunk when he REALLY steps in it. He overhears a plot echoing through the pipes: Maw, a ruthless glass-and-steel superpower, is scheming to wield its axes of evil to strip Arborium of its wood -- a natural resource now more precious than gold.
The fate of a kingdom in the filthy hands of a plumber boy?
Plunged into danger, Ark must make the treacherous climb down to the darkest roots of RAVENWOOD if there's any hope of rescuing his threatened tree home!
100 CUPBOARDS by N. D. Wilson
Twelve-year-old Henry York wakes up one night to find bits of plaster in his hair. Two knobs have broken through the wall above his bed and one of them is slowly turning . . .Henry scrapes the plaster off the wall and discovers cupboards of all different sizes and shapes. Through one he can hear the sound of falling rain. Through another he sees a glowing room–with a man pacing back and forth! Henry soon understands that these are not just cupboards, but portals to other worlds.
THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A BOAT OF HER OWN MAKING by Cathrynne M. Valente
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.
MORPHEUS ROAD: THE LIGHT by D. J. MacHale
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this is, it’s huge.
Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.
We've got all three Morpheus Road books in the library. If you like ghost stories, here's another one!
GRAVEMINDER by Melissa Marr
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual at every funeral: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."
Now Maylene is gone and Bek must return to the hometown—and the man—she abandoned a decade ago, only to discover that Maylene's death was not natural . . . and there was good reason for her odd traditions. In Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected—and beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. From this dark place the deceased will return if their graves are not properly minded. And only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.
A few new graphic novels have also been added to the shelves.
AMELIA RULES SERIES by Jimmy Gownley
PANDEMONIUM by Chris Wooding
Acclaimed author Chris Wooding's first graphic novel -- fun fantasy-adventure with a macabre twist!
Seifer's life is about to become a royal pain. . . . As captain of the local skullball team, Seifer Tombchewer is the envy of his peers. He's fast, he's strong, and he flies circles around the competition. But Seifer's always dreamed of more--of leaving his tiny, remote village for a new life beyond the mountains.
He just never dreamed it would happen like this. Knocked unconscious and abducted, Seifer awakens in the royal palace to learn that Prince Talon Pandemonium has gone missing. And since Seifer is a ringer for Talon, it's his duty to replace the missing royal in his roles of diplomat, warrior, and Lord Defender of the Realm.
He might fool Talon's sisters. He might fool Talon's army. But Seifer has little hope of fooling Talon's enemies. . . .
Chris Wooding and debut artist Cassandra Diaz team for a classic tale of mistaken identity set against the breathtakingly original backdrop of the Darkling Realm.
THE RED WING by Jonathan Hickman
To stay alive in the future, the best fighter pilots in the world not only have to perfect their skills and master their aircraft, they also have to know how to travel through time Collecting the acclaimed mini-series brought to you by award winning writer Jonathan Hickman and possibly the best new talent of the year, Nick Pitarra, The Red Wing is the story of the greatest battle in the history of three worlds.
Lots of exciting sequels are beginning to trickle in this month in anticipation for the flood in May. I'll talk about these in the next post. Meanwhile, take the new poll at the bottom of the page.
If you're in grade 9 or 10 and you love to talk about books, then join our April book club. We'll be reading and discussing Scott Westerfeld's Uglies, an amazing work of science fiction that deals with some fascinating issues. Come to the library to pick up the book, then read the first half for Thursday, April 12th , when we'll get together at lunch to share first impressions. Then we'll finish the book and meet at lunch on Thursday, April 26th to wrap up the conversation. Oh yeah, lunch will be provided for the last discussion.
The grade 11/12 book club was so much fun that several students have suggested that it's something they would like to see happen all year. What do you think? You can post your comments to this blog.
Remember, space is limited to 15 students, so be sure to come in and get your copy of Uglies right away!
I'm still thinking about the terrific discussion in book club yesterday. Melissa, Emily, Felicia, David, Jordan, Michelle, Francesca, Laurel and I explored many of the unique features of Catcher in the Rye as well as grappling with the complexities of Holden's character. I came away completely energized by all of the original, insightful comments.
If you are part of this book club but were unable to be at the discussion, finish reading the novel and come to the library at lunch on the Thursday after the break. There is still lots to talk about and there will be food!
The next book club begins at the start of April and is open to students in grades 9 and 10. I'm pretty sure that the novel will be Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, an amazing work of science fiction. There is room for only 15 students, so listen closely to the announcements and when I call you to the library to pick up a copy of the book, don't delay! We will meet twice, once in the middle of April and again at the end of the month.
Grade 7 and 8 students will be welcome to join our book club for May. The novel is still to be decided, but it will be a great read!
Just a reminder, we are indebted to Laurel Bieber of the Mission Public Library for pulling multiple copies of each book from the public library and bringing them to HPSS for our use. Thank you, Laurel!
I'm joining forces with Laurel Bieber, the YA librarian at the Mission Public Library, to start a series of book clubs. We'll begin with interested grade 11 and 12 students in March, move to grade 9 and 10 students in April, and finish with grade 7 and 8 students in May.
"What is a book club?" you ask. Well, it's when a dozen or so readers read and discuss the same book. It's an informative, argumentative, amusing and entertaining way to spend time.
In March, we'll read and discuss the modern classic, Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, a little book that has sparked some interesting controversy. We'll meet twice during lunch, on Thursday, March 15th and Thursday, March 29th, in the seminar room at the front of the library. You can bring your lunch for the first session, but food will be provided for the second session.
As each book club will have no more than 15 members, it's important to let Ms. Schmor know that you are interested in participating in order to secure a place. Copies of Catcher in the Rye will be available to borrow during the last week of February.
In honour of this special day, I'd like to share a few new books that celebrate romance. The first is Shatter Me, a new paranormal romance. Here's the synopsis:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the pop...more
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Doesn't sound like a love story? Trust me, there's ALWAYS a love story.
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young mag...moreThe circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.
Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.
Pure by Julianna Baggot
We know you are here, our brothers and sisters. We will, one day, emerge from the Dome to join you in peace. For now, we watch from afar. Pressia Belze has lived outside of the Dome ever since the detonations. Struggling for survival she dreams of life inside the safety of the Dome with the ‘Pure’.
Partridge, himself a Pure, knows that life inside the Dome, under the strict control of the leaders’ regime, isn’t as perfect as others think.
Bound by a history that neither can clearly remember, Pressia and Partridge are destined to forge a new world.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The winner of the signed first edition will be announced tomorrow afternoon, but we now have a copy of this unusual romance available to borrow from the library.
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
What are your favorite romantic reads? Add your suggestions by commenting on this post.
I hope you find a book to love this week, and every week. Please think about sharing the love with a book review. Send it to me at Christine.Schmor@mpsd.ca and I'll publish it on the review page.
I'd like to invite you to the library to see our fabulous new display, a tribute to the amazing Wizard of Oz books by Frank L. Baum. Baum was a magical, prolific storyteller; many readers don't know that there are several Oz books, each featuring enchantingly quirky characters: The Scarecrow of Oz, Glinda of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Pumpkinhead of Oz. When I was a child, the Oz books were my Harry Potter series; I loved them. Over the years, I've built a collection and they are now in the display. Let me know if you'd like to read them.
OZ ISN'T JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE!
Gregory Maguire, a talented YA author, has written his own Oz series, a much darker, edgier version of the stories. The first in the series is Wicked, a book which inspired a hit musical which was featured in an episode of Glee.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (Book One in the Wicked series)
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?
Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.
The three other books in the series are Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. We have them all in the library.
Thank you, Emily and Felicia, for both inspiring and creating the display.
An eagerly anticipated new novel arrived in the mail today. It is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, the same John Green who wrote the edgy, funny, tragic masterpiece, Looking for Alaska. Green's novels are mature reads that stay with you for a lifetime. Will Grayson, Will Grayson was published last year and I can't keep our copy on the shelves because it's so popular.
Here's a synopsis of The Fault in Our Stars: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves.
Now, here's the thing. When I unwrapped our copy of the book, I saw that it was signed by the author. Further investigation revealed that it is a first edition. I've dabbled enough in book collecting to know that a signed first edition can become valuable over time. This is especially true of award-winning books and John Green has won many awards in the past, so he'll likely be recognized for this novel as well. If I stamp it and tape it and put it in the library, this copy will lose any possible future value. Instead, I have decided to offer it up as a prize to a student at HPSS and purchase an unsigned copy for the library.
If you are a collector of books or just starting a collection, you should enter this contest. If you like John Green's work and want to own a copy of his book, you should enter. If you just like books, you
should toss your name in for a chance of winning.
Starting at noon tomorrow, you can enter by simply filling out an entry form and putting it in the box on the counter. On February 15th, a name will be drawn at random. Each interested student receives one entry per day. Good luck!
Those of you who reached volume 18 of Fullmetal Alchemist only to discover that the HPSS library had no more books in the series will be happy to know that we now have the full series to volume 27 ! The set even includes a non-manga novel called The Ties that Bind.
Our library is a busy place! Since we returned to school, books have been flying off the shelves as students pick up great novels for silent reading or informative non-fiction for research projects. All of the checking in and out of books has resulted in a huge amount of shelving, so I would like to give a profoundly grateful "thank you" to the students in the library club. Without their help, I wouldn't be able to get so many new books into the library so quickly.
I've been trying to organize the graphic novels and manga so that it's easier to find specific books. New manga series such as Black Butler, Twin Spica and Deathnote have been immensely popular. In the weeks to come, I will be adding Fullmetal Alchemist, volumes 19 to 27; The Legend of Zelda; Naruto; and Bleach to our collection. Both Bleach and Naruto are such huge sets that I'm going to start by purchasing new omnibus editions of 3 books in 1. Right now, each title has 3 volumes available, so 9 books to a series. I did an informal poll, asking students if they would prefer that I buy 5 volumes of many different series or that I try to buy all of the volumes of just a few series. All of the students wanted complete sets. If you have a preference, please add a comment to this post.
Two new graphic novels that have just been placed on the round table are Maximum Ride 5 and the second Twilight.
I'd like to introduce you to some of the new novels that have been added to the library. Blood and Chocolateby Annette Curtis Klause
Blood and Chocolate
Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a.Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?
Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He's fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.
Vivian's divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really--human or beast? Which tastes sweeter--blood or chocolate?
What started out as girls' games became a witch hunt. Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials told from the perspectives of three of the real young women living in Salem in 1692.
Ann Putnam Jr. plays the queen bee. When her father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann grasps her opportunity. She put
...moreWhat started out as girls' games became a witch hunt. Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials told from the perspectives of three of the real young women living in Salem in 1692.
Ann Putnam Jr. plays the queen bee. When her father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann grasps her opportunity. She puts in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of the people around her forever.
Mercy Lewis, the beautiful servant in Ann's house, inspires adulation in some and envy in others. With a troubled past, she seizes her only chance at safety.
Margaret Walcott, Ann's cousin, is desperately in love and consumed with fiery jealousy. She is torn between staying loyal to her friends and pursuing the life she dreams of with her betrothed.
With new accusations mounting daily against the men and women of the community, the girls will have to decide: Is it too late to tell the truth?
A Printz Honor winner for Your Own, Sylvia, Stephanie Hemphill uses evocative verse to weave a nuanced portrait of one of the most chilling and fascinating times in our nation's history.
Another teen thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser mysteries. When a shy high school student’s body is found washed up on the shore of a quiet New England beach town—an apparent suicide—fifteen-year-old Terry Novak doesn’t know what to think. Something just doesn’t add up, so he decides to do some investigating of his own with the help of his b ...more When a shy high school student’s body is found washed up on the shore of a quiet New England beach town, —an apparent suicide, —fifteen-year-old Terry Novak doesn’t know what to think. Something just doesn’t add up, so he decides to do some investigating of his own with the help of his best friend, Abby. It doesn’t take long before they learn that asking questions puts them in grave danger, and surviving is going to be a fight. Fortunately, Terry has been learning a thing or two about fighting, thanks to a retired boxer named George, who teaches the boy to use his head and always keep his feet set beneath him; —lessons Terry takes to heart in more ways than one. He will need to.
Robert B. Parker, New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser novels, delivers a taut, empowering mystery for young readers.
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?
The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of J...moreBefore Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?
The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.
Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.
For those readers who are fans of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series, you should take a look at the next book.
Across the Old World, the powers of Chaos seek to bring corruption and death, poisoning the minds of men and filling them with hatred and fury. Only the bravest dare stand against them – two Empire soldiers, marching into the cold wastes of Kislev to face the barbaric Northern hordes, where one will lose his soul to the Ruinous Powers. The high elf Gilead Lothain, who...more
Across the Old World, the powers of Chaos seek to bring corruption and death, poisoning the minds of men and filling them with hatred and fury. Only the bravest dare stand against them – two Empire soldiers, marching into the cold wastes of Kislev to face the barbaric Northern hordes, where one will lose his soul to the Ruinous Powers. The high elf Gilead Lothain, who seeks to strike at the servants of the Dark Gods in a quest for vengeance that can never end. The ranks of the noble White Wolves, who stand to defend the majestic city of Middenheim until the last man, never backing down in the face of their enemies.Thunder and Steel is an epic collection of Dan Abnett’s Warhammer fantasy, including the novels Riders of the Dead, Gilead’s Blood and Hammers of Ulric, plus short stories and the full graphic novel of The Warhammer.
If you're wondering what to read now that you've finished the Eragon series, you might try this next author.
Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mi...moreBrandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn.
For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.
Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.
But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.
After Diego lands himself on probation for fighting, he doesn’t trust his probation officer, Mr. Vidas. But as he begins to open up, Diego realizes that he needs Mr. Vidas’s help to get his anger under control. To do that, Diego will need to face the nightmares from his past head-on and confront the memories he’s been avoiding. Will anyone even believe him if he tells the truth about his stepfather?
Award-winning author Alex Sanchez writes about a teen’s very real struggle to overcome his anger and take control of his destiny.
Readers who enjoyed I am Number Four will love this next new series: Michael Vey.
After Diego lands himself on probation for fighting, he doesn’t trust his probation officer, Mr. Vidas. But as he begins to open up, Diego realizes that he needs Mr. Vidas’s help to get his anger under control. To do that, Diego will need to face the nightmares from his past head-on and confront the memories he’s been avoiding. Will anyone even believe him if he tells...mor
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story.
To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric power To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.
Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.
The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson
The Name of the Star (Shades of London, #1)
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.Soon "Rippermania"
...moThe day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.
Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, d
...moreWhen her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.
Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.
Here are some amazing books for middle school readers!
Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange and mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of crypti...more
Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange and mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of cryptic boxes are left for him . . . boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances. Leo had better be quick on his feet, because the fate of the building he loves is at stake . . . and so is Leo's own future!
Down the Mysterly River is the children’s book debut of Bill Willingham, the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series Fables. Complete with illustrations by Fables artist Mark Buckingham, it is a spirited, highly original tale of adventure, suspense, and everlasting friendship.
Max “the Wolf” is a top notch Boy Scout, an expert at orienteeringDown the Mysterly River is the children’s book debut of Bill Willingham, the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series Fables. Complete with illustrations by Fables artist Mark Buckingham, it is a spirited, highly original tale of adventure, suspense, and everlasting friendship.
Max “the Wolf” is a top notch Boy Scout, an expert at orienteering and a master of being prepared. So it is a little odd that he suddenly finds himself, with no recollection of his immediate past, lost in an unfamiliar wood. Even odder still, he encounters a badger named Banderbrock, a black bear named Walden, and McTavish the Monster (who might also be an old barn cat)—all of whom talk—and who are as clueless as Max.
Before long, Max and his friends are on the run from a relentless group of hunters and their deadly hounds. Armed with powerful blue swords and known as the Blue Cutters, these hunters capture and change the very essence of their prey. For what purpose, Max can’t guess. But unless he can solve the mystery of the strange forested world he’s landed in, Max may find himself and his friends changed beyond recognition, lost in a lost world…
There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.
A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to...moreThere is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.
A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath.
Kittens, however, are notoriously curious creatures. And one kitten's one moment of curiosity sets off a chain of events that is astonishing, remarkable, and enormous in its meaning. For everyone who loves Sounder, Shiloh, and The Yearling, for everyone who loves the haunting beauty of writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Flannery O'Connor, and Carson McCullers, Kathi Appelt spins a harrowing yet keenly sweet tale about the power of love — and its opposite, hate — the fragility of happiness and the importance of making good on your promises.
This is just a small sampling of the new books available. Come down and browse to see all that's in the library. Feel free to comment on any of these books or recommend other books for me to purchase.
Happy reading, everyone!
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